The Past: The Recent History of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council (Page 3)

Now, things are different: 

• The City has shown many signs of fiscal recovery and stability and the business community has played a role. 
• The City has improved the manner in which it manages its business in measurable ways and the business community has played a role. 
• The City has an economic development blueprint, crafted with the participation of the business community, that charts a path that could result in 20,000 jobs and $30 million in added annual tax revenue (building jobs and tax base is the mission of the Business Council). 
• The City today has a strategic plan crafted by all of its divergent constituencies, approved by the Mayor and City Council, and accomplished in no small way with the resources of the business community. 
• The City today is increasingly experiencing efforts at collaboration of various and divergent community groups aimed at addressing critical issues. 
• The City in the few years has or will achieve almost $400 million in public investment in projects in keeping with its overall economic development plan:
  • - West End Industrial Park, $12 million
  • - Housatonic Community College, $23 million
  • - Ferry Terminal, $2.5 million
  • - Police Barracks, $10 million
  • - Seaview Avenue, $20 million
  • - Cultural - Downtown Cabaret Theatre, Klein Memorial Auditorium, Polka Dot Playhouse, $4 million
  • - Downtown Capital Improvements, $7 million
  • - Ballpark at Harbor Yard, $18 million
  • - Harbour Place, $200 million
  • - Sports/entertainment arena, $35 million
  • - Intermodal Transportation Center, $45 million
  • - Industrial Retention Projects, $7 Million
  • - Other, $10 Million
• Today, the City and the business community commonly and regularly work together toward common ends.
   
• Today, crime is decreasing and there's a sense of continued improvement.

A summary of the Business Council's 10-year history will serve to demonstrate the relations between its changes and its programs to an improving City. 

• 1986 -- Business Council becomes a regional umbrella organization. 
• Business Council creates an economic development initiative plan. 
• Business leadership adopts six strategic goals. 
• Work on the Downtown Schiavone rehab plan. 
• Management improvement project.
• Completion of Waterfront Development Plan that recommends strategy for waterfront vision and, for example, results ultimately in creation of Port Authority. 
• Development of three-pronged strategic vision. 
• Reorganization of BRBC to create Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce and Regional Leadership Council. 
• Initiates HCTC project proposal. 
• Encourages Seaview Avenue Industrial Corridor Project. 
• Initiates, supports, and is the catalyst behind Bridgeport casino development proposal.
• Creates Yes Bridgeport campaign.
• Creates special three-year fundraising project that results in reality image campaign and development vision materials.
• Initiates and supports and raises money to create and submit a City Strategic Plan as application for Federal Empowerment Zone designation.
• Bridgeport Chamber affiliate initiates work in targeted industries area in support of Strategic Plan proposal.
• Completes Consolidated Economic Development Initiative Plan for City of Bridgeport.
• Coordinates and funds casino referendum.
• Lobbies actively for casino legislation.
• Creates 10-point action plan subsequent to casino defeat which recommends strategies to continue progress made through casino effort.
• Participate in TEAM Bridgeport effort, Governor Rowland's process to create a development initiative for Bridgeport.
• Submittal of proposal to TEAM Bridgeport that includes a recommendation for the creation of a public investment fund to be leveraged by private dollars to support development projects that are in keeping with an agreed to development plan.

The Mayor announces his initiative called "Clean and Green", the logical next step for the City to improve its image and make it development ready, and the BRBC submits a proposal offering ways in which it can assist and be supportive, including what is now the Bridgeport Chamber’s “Bridgeport in Bloom” program.